Mavs' Parsons starts Game 1 Saturday vs. Rockets

Chandler Parsons is ready to go.

Listed as questionable Friday for Game 1 of the Dallas Mavericks' first round series against the Houston Rockets, the forward started Saturday night versus his former team. 

"This series is much bigger than me going back there. It's about us winning four games before they do," Parsons said, reports Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com. "I'm just fired up to play in the playoffs, man, no matter who we play."

Parsons missed the season's last six games with a right knee injury. 

In addition to Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Rockets general manager Daryl Morey, much of the series' subplot surrounds Parsons, who left Houston for Dallas as a restricted free agent last summer.

He averaged 15.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game this season.